Page 59 of My Gentleman Spy
Chapter Twenty-Four
Will turnedup the collar of his coat as he neared the end of the steady climb up Ludgate Hill. He shivered. If England was this cold in mid-autumn, he wondered how he would survive until the following summer. A handful of days back in England and he was already pining for the sunny climes of Spain. Chilly as it was, he still knew he had made the right decision to come home and try to rebuild hislife.
At the apex of the hill, St. Paul’s cathedral dominated the skyline. He joined the milling crowd of evening worshippers as they climbed the cathedral’s west front steps Reaching the top of the grey stone steps he turned and looked back. In front of him Fleet Street snaked its way downhill past the Fleet prison and market to meet up with theStrand.
In his younger years he had always enjoyed making the late afternoon trip from his family home to St. Paul’s. Evensong attracted a different kind of worshipper from the normal morning services. Many a time he had spied the cream of London society rakes taking a seat in the wooden pews, knowing full well that within an hour of the service ending they would be out into the night and indulging in all manner of lecherousdebauchery.
A promise however was a promise. His mother had pressed upon him the need for his attendance at church after his safe return to England. After all the pain and worry he had put her through he couldn’t sayno.
“Your uncle is coming to dinner this week and if he discovers you have not managed to set foot inside a house of worship since your return, we shall have to endure one of his lectures,” remarkedAdelaide.
Having an uncle who was the Duke of Strathmore was a benefit to a man of society. Having another uncle who was the Bishop of London added a different and more complex layer ofresponsibilities.
Will removed his hat and walked inside the cathedral. Once inside he stopped and looked up, taking in the magnificentdome.
“Ninety- one feet, top to floor” hewhispered.
He, his brother, sisters, and their many cousins had spent untold hours in the nave of the cathedral listening to their uncle while he happily lectured them about the dimensions of the great church. The painted dome was Will’s personalfavorite.
Its eight scenes from the life of Saint Paul, were a masterpiece of art and architecture. Will had seen enough of Europe’s great houses of worship to know that St. Paul’s held itsown.
“Better than NotreDame?”
He turned and saw his uncle, Hugh Radley. Resplendent in his robes of office, the Bishop of London cut an imposing figure. Other worshippers arriving into the outer nave gave him a respectful wideberth.
“They both have their appeal. I would never be so bold as to make a judgement on which of the two is thebest.”
His uncle bowed hishead.
“Excellent answer. God should only ever be the one to judge. Welcome home lad. I take it your mother sentyou.”
Will nodded. Little in the Radley and Saunders family circle got past hisuncle.
“She mentioned that you and Aunt Mary are coming to dine at home later this week. It was made clear to me that a visit to church before then would be a prudentidea.”
The bishopchuckled.
“Just once, I made the mistake of asking your mother's opinion of one of my sermons over the dinner table. Ever since then, she makes the whole Saunders family go to church before we visit. Your father has never let me hear the end ofit.”
“St. Paul’s is always a wonderful place to visit, it feels like a second home to me. Besides, it's a good opportunity to stretch my legs. With mama haunting my every step, I have struggled to get more than four feet from the house this week,” repliedWill.
He hoped his mother's fervor would soon die down. Already concerned that it would not, he had spoken to his father about the need for him to find his own house. Family life was surprisingly overbearing after having livedalone.
“I hope you will come and sit in the side aisles near the choir. I have reserved a seat for you. Just find an usher when you are ready to take a seat. Oh, and you must come to my private chambers after the service, I have an excellent bottle of wine I have been waiting to share with you,” said thebishop.
After watching his uncle head further into the cathedral as the final preparations for the service were made, Will took the opportunity to wander around and reacquaint himself with the inner cathedral. Christopher Wren's masterpiece of architecture had always held a special place in his heart. His parents had been married here. He and all his siblings had been baptized at the altarfont.
He was slowly making his way toward the choir area when he caught sight of something which stopped him dead in histracks.
Across the other side of the nave stoodHattie.
Will froze. It would only take a slight move of her head and she would be staring right at him. He stood completely still. A body unmoving did not create interest to theeye.
An unexpected wave of relief crashed over him. While he was certain she had made it ashore alive, the proof before his eyes was precious. He was still angry with her, but to know that she was safe gladdened his heart. He would sleep more soundly tonight than he had done since theirparting.
When finally, a small group of other evensong worshippers passed between them, Will was able to move to one side. With slow, measured steps he moved forward in the nave and out of her direct line ofvision.
Now he was able to study her with greater ease. She was watching a young couple who were seated toward the large arch on the right side of the nave. It was also apparent that Hattie was locked in an internal battle with herself as to whether she should approach the couple or not. She took several hesitant steps forward, only to stop and retreat to where she had originallystarted.
